Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-31
Light Housekeeping.
TCoDvrtght 1887, I

There are objections to 1t, as there are
to every mode of living that the mind OF
man has evolved since Par adise was for
feited, but the arguments in favor of it
make very respectable showing when
set of against the ''cOns." There Is no
denying the fact that it does involve
vast accumulation of brown paper bags
and parcels, ana that one mas TO be scru-
Pulously particular to avoid that linRer-
lng OF doors like the ghosts Of former dan
hers TeNisltlng earthly haunjs, but there
is certain amount OF satisfaction In the
reflection that YOU have voice in the
ming of those brown paper bags and that
your digestive organs are IN measure
under your own control. Those who have
never tried the experiment. but " no are
Sick unto death of cheap J0ardinghouse
fare cannot form just conception OF the
miracles that can be performed in the
"slngle" coal oil stove, miniature CYL
lndrIcal affair, insigniicantlna appearance
and seemingly alto -etAer inadequate to
the CRAVINGS OF family OF healthy adults.
And yet i know OF one of those small
black servitor9 that preserved the peace
and the health OF a rather fastidiuus lot
Of people. 1t is necessary to add, how
ever, that there W as a very judicious little
woman in coIiuolon with 1t. | will tell
you how she did it all:
Meeting her one day returning from
what she called a 'i0raging expedition"
she be&msd at me over multiplicity of
parcels tnat Were attached TO her fingers
IA some miraculous fashion. Fve taken
rooms and gone TO ilght housekeeping, she
said, triumpbanly. 1t looks very lgut,
| said, in sarcastic aIlusiOn to her paper
environment, Tor which unmerlted slur |
had TO hear the entire process from be-
ginning To end. Her rooms were always
IN company trim, pretty, bright and ira
grant, and when not on duty the coal oil
stove was hidden in the Obscurity OF a
large closet. The first duty of the morn
ing was to exhume the stove, apply
match to the smoothly brushed wicAs, set
the little teakettle on, and then piacIdiy
proceed with her morning toilet AID de.
VOCiOns, W bich were never hurried through
with nor sighted. The teakeItle was
ready for her as soon as she was ready Tor
1t, and by the aid of a Eureka cotfeepOt
she soon had the foundation OF very
good Dreaktast-cOfee-r for the ia
bic. This set aside IN pan Of hot water
and covered over with cup towel lett the
stove at the service Of the RTiddle, on
which the steaA or bacon was soon pre-
pared to perfection, and In turn the water
dence, alter which came the cakes made
from the Martha Washington -four, all
ready prepared with yeast. salt and but
ter, and needing only to be made into
batter, with milk or water and compress.
~ can do everything bur roast meat OF
bake bIeaU on lie little darlIEg," M en-
Ihusiast sad, land Ii you could see tn
look Of proprietary interest tnat comes
into my OR husbands face when he sits
down at the head OF his own table you
would rejoice with me at escape from the
herdlng at clearinghouse table"
But the cleaning OF the sjOYe"'
lit isn't quite as fascinating as Ken
sIngt0n stilcn," she replied, Ielectively,
but try to be very sy stemat about ali
my work ana that lessons the hardship Of
it. never put the stove away without
brushins the wicks of with an old tCoth-
brush. To do so would be to encOurase
1t III the Vicious practice Of SMOKING. An
old rag, d y, damned into ali the corners
TIE hand cannot penetrate. BY the aid OF
a pointed stick, and "a cloJn dipped in vim
egar and passed over the mica 10 keep il
as good as new, preserves my stove in
good working order. Never turn the
wicks up high 1T first. Light them and
let them burn smooth pathway across
the broad wick before turning them up.
My word for it," SAID my enthusiast,
light housekeeping Is az improve j. eut
on cheap board in2GOusvs and Is the bes,
substitute we have in this country for the
English lodging houses, where you rent
your rooms and buy your own food, Dut
have it prepared by the landlady IL her
own kitchen. II some genius would in
vent an agreeable way OF washing dishes
| would have nothing LETT to sigh for.
which perhaps wouldn't be well tor me-"
She was a literary woman, and 10y 0
O'Clock her rooms were ready for the ex-
ercise Of that higher and more cOngenidl
occupation, which she pursued with profit
To herself and pleasure to others, but no
amount OF Intellectual absorption ever
made her spoil the coffee or neglect to I'LL
the stove.
The world has given us many instances
of women who could successfully lead the
dual lite OF intellectually and dom = l.
city. Notable among them Charlotte
Br0nte, VINO must always peel the lrlsn
potatoes herself; Mrs. Troilope, who
did" tor IA large family, nursed an inva-
lid husband ard wrote an amazing mum
Der of novels in spite Of it, and Ms
S0meryille. who carried on so many liurs
OF thought and activity seemingly mimi
cal to each other, that. "Still the wonder
grew. that one small head could carr all
she knew